Make Your Home Cleaner, Greener and Healthier With Smart Design

The homes we live in are our own perfect personal spaces in which all of the magic happens for us. No matter what we do during the day, we can return to our home and we begin to find our balance once again. We find our balance so that every next day might be one in which we are ready to face any new challenge that comes our way. We need that time to recover and to prepare for what comes next.

For this to become truly attainable, we need to focus our attention on creating a clean, green, and healthy living environment that speaks to us and meets our own unique needs.

This can be done in an easy and fun way through smart design. All we need is a bit of proper research and a good selection of items to include in our space. Toss in a little time and elbow grease and you'll be ready to relax and recover in no time. Let’s discover more below.

Living in A Clean, Green Home Does Not Mean Making Sacrifices

A lot has been said over the last decade about adopting a green lifestyle. Check out any number of websites on the topic (including this one!) and you'll find a slew of resources, tips, tricks, and more covering everything from what type of car is best to drive to what the hot new product is made from reclaimed materials. The topic of our homes is no different. To consider ourselves safe keepers of a healthy planet, for current and future generations, we must work to create spaces that reflect that ethos. Our home should be one that allows us to carefully consider the impact on the environment around us, with respect to the space that we choose to occupy (and how much of it!)

Thankfully, choosing to be earth conscious with your lifestyle - or home design - doesn't mean that transforming your home into a cleaner and healthier environment should be a stressful activity. Nor should it bring any kind of restricting sacrifice from your part. It is all about making the best choices at the time - and thinking ahead when possible.

The idea is to choose items that meet your needs - physically and emotionally - and that include sustainable elements for the greater good.

Water Conservation

Water conservation is a global concern that we should all pay attention to carefully. It is not difficult at all to eliminate the useless waste of water that others could only dream of having for their family. Drought conditions have a very real impact on regions and innovative ideas like installing low flow faucets and shower heads, rain barrels, greywater systems, and even food pedals on sinks in your house can be a great starting point from this perspective.

Through such small and easy to install items, that do not ruin your overall house décor in any way, you can control water flow easily. These devices will also help you save money on your water bill so you win in more than one way. There are no downsides to making such decisions, only great benefits to consider. If every one of us would make a little change like this the worldwide achieved results would be noticeable. Not to mention the fact that current, smart home design trends include such items in their lists of recommendations so you will be in trend, save money, and the planet at the same time!

Improved Indoor Air for Better Health & Well-Being

Another great aspect to consider is the quality of your indoor air. Improving indoor air quality helps us to live healthier and ensure an overall well-being for ourselves and the planet we live on. While we may not realize it, everything that we bring into our homes has an impact on our air quality. By choosing safer items all around, we can make a real impact. Volatile compounds and other air pollutants can be found in paint, furniture, cleaners, items with fragrance, and other basic substances or accessories we choose for the house. They can even be tracked in on your shoes! Just one important reason to leave them at the door. With little effort, we can eliminate some big culprits that are not good for our health and replace those things with healthy items that will create a clean overall indoor air for us to breathe in daily.

And don't forget to crack a window!

This will keep us healthy and feeling more relaxed every time we spend time in our spaces. More restful sleep can be helped this way as well. For starters, choose non-toxic cleaners that won't leave residues and/or synthetic fragrances and chemicals in your environment. Choose low or no-VOC paints; they can be easily found these days at any home improvement store. Also choose furniture that are second hand (and in good condition) that have already had a chance to off-gas - or ones that are intentionally made from sustainable resources and with natural flame retardants, rather than toxic additions. Don't be afraid to upcycle too! Vintage and refurbished furniture can be transformed into a real treasure and ensure that your house will be unique, as well as a healthier environment to live in for years to come.

Live Greener & You Will Be Healthier

To get your started, check out this collection of our favorite posts that are best suited for beginners... or those looking for a refresher.

Be selective with the things you use at home because you deserve it, and so does your family and friends. Preserve the natural resources of the planet as much as you can by choosing items that are sources from sustainable, natural, or reclaimed materials when possible. Choose a reclaimed or recycled item anytime you can, even something as simple as a crib mattress or reclaimed light fixture is a greener choice.